Academician Wu Peiheng talked about cultivation of innovative talents at SUSTC lecture

Guest Lecture

| 10/13/2015

On the evening of October 12, 2015, Wu Peiheng, academician of CAS, scientist of superconducting electronics was invited to be a guest of “Science and China” Tour Lectures Seminar of Academician and Expert and the 34th SUSTC Lecture and talked about the meaning of innovation and cultivation of innovative talents. President Chen Shiyi and hundreds of teachers and students got together in the lecture hall of the first scientific building to listen to the report. Vice president Qin Zheng is the host of the seminar.

Academician Wu Peiheng

Wu Peiheng is a scientist of superconducting electronics, academician of CAS, professor of Electronic Science and Engineering College of Nanjing University, head of Superconducting Electronics Research Institute and Honorary Director of Superconducting Electronics Branch of Chinese Institute of Electronics

There were three parts in the report of Academician Wu: “What is innovation?”, “What are the basic qualities for innovative talents?”, “What requirements should be raised for the innovative talents youth?” He talked about his opinions about innovative talents in the report and shared some anecdotes when he was studying and encouraged students in SUSTC to use their brain and hands actively so as to become a talent as soon as possible. Academician Wu cited various authorities and explained profound theories in simple language in the one and half hours’ lecture and interaction, which won much applause from teachers and students.

[On innovation]—Absorptive inheritance, courageous breakthroughs, rigorous demonstration

Started from the word “maker”, Wu Peiheng believed that the maker shall have three idiosyncrasies: interests, ideas and practices. He said that the innovation coexists in science and arts, and the necessary condition to innovate is to fully digest and absorb and inherit thoughts and reflections of predecessors. He said: “I don’t deny the possibilities to have new ideas coming out with most fantastic ideas, but I come out with most fantastic ideas, and I’d rather encourage absorbing the thoughts of predecessors.” It is enhancement to the thoughts of predecessors if you have the courage to think about questions that predecessors didn’t think about and propose ideas or assumptions that predecessors didn’t propose. “It is similar to the example of Maxwell who proposed creative assumption based on the electro-magnetic induction theory and circulation theorem and then get the electromagnetic field theory or Fan Zhongyan who proposed great idea of ‘not pleased by external gains’ based on the mental state of scholars of the different epochs” indicated by Wu Peiheng; you should verify your own viewpoints with strict measures after getting the idea, which is the reflection of rigorous attitudes and the responsibility to our nation and society.

[On Accomplishment] – Wide views, careful observation, and academic sensitivity

“The division of current science and technology developments is very fine. But there shall have wide academic views to realize innovation.” Wu Peiheng quoted several inventions and creations based on interdiscipline to prove that: different disciplines can enlighten each other; foster us to look at problems from multi-angles, which is good for innovative thinking and life. In this respect, Wu Peiheng showed his approval of the college system in SUSTC. He thought that students from different disciplines can have better communication under this mode. “Learn to observe from multi-angles carefully, try to change condition analysis, and do not jump to a conclusion.” Josephson, a Britain scientist, investigated the hasty conclusions of previous researchers, finding Josephson Effect on supercurrent which earned him a Nobel Prize. On academic, “professional sensitivity helps people absorb the useful part of others’ speeches, and then trigger new thoughts.”

[On Realm] – Strengthening foundation with spirit of devotion and persistence

Wu Peiheng proposed requests for determined and innovative youth by citing three sentences regarding the realm of life summarized by Wang Guowei. “Westerly winds withered trees up last night. Climbing up the stairs and being lonely on the loft, I overlooked the endless distance.” – Young people shall strengthen their own experimental basis, and foundations of mathematics, foreign languages and Chinese. They can be forward-looking after grasping the basic skills of experiment research and language description. “The dress takes to loosen gradually and I am more and more emaciated. No regretful plying at all, I am rather for her only distressed as I did.” – A person can get somewhere if he is persistent and devoted no matter in which industry. “Having searched for him hundreds and thousands of times in the crowd, suddenly you turn back, and he is there by the dim light.” – Young people shall stand up to setbacks, and be persistent when studying. In addition, he also sent a motto to the students, “Vision without action is a day dream, action without vision is a nightmare.”